Home - Shaleen Vira, M.D.

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Shaleen Vira, M.D. is a renowned spine surgical specialist with dual training and appointments in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery. His vast expertise focuses on complex reconstructive surgery, minimally invasive techniques, spine tumors, fractures, and other special situations.

Trained at the Cleveland Clinic in spinal neurosurgery and NYC Hospital for Joint Diseases (the oldest orthopaedic residency in the country), Dr. Vira currently serves as Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, and Director of Spine Surgery Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

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Innovating New Techniques

UT southwestern Medical Center

Shaleen Vira, M.D. is a Cleveland Clinic trained board certified spine surgeon with dual training and appointments in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery. His vast expertise enables him to treat any spinal condition with the latest techniques. He particularly acclaimed for his work in complex reconstructive surgery, minimally invasive techniques, spine tumors, fractures, and other special situations in the neck and back.

Assistant Professor,
Orthopaedic Surgery

Interdisciplinary team of musculoskeletal care surgeons

Assistant Professor,
Neurosurgery

Comprehensive Spine Center
Peter O'Donnell Brain Institute

Director,
Spine Surgery Research

Developing novel surgical techniques and leading ongoing clinical trials to improve the efficacy of surgical intervention

Attending Surgeon

Texas Health Resources Frisco Hospital
UT Southwestern Zale Lipshy Hospital
Clements University Hospital
Parkland Hospital

When I see patients, I would like them to know that I will treat them the way I would want to be treated, or the way I would seek care for a family member. This translates into a conservative or less aggressive approach to surgery. I tend to operate on a fewer percentage of patients than my colleagues do because this is exactly the way I would want myself or my family member treated."

Shaleen Vira, M.D.

communication is key

Targeting your Unique spinal Condition

We Will work Together to develop a plan that's right for you

get to know each other

Dr. Vira rarely recommends surgery at first consultation. Instead, the goal during your first visit is to understand you as a person. What treatments have you had thus far and how have your symptoms inhibited you from living your life to its fullest?

understanding your Condition

After examining your neck, back, and arm/legs, Dr. Vira aims to correlate your source of pain with any imaging studies you bring to your visit. We don't jump to operate on positive MRI findings...instead we carefully select to operate on those patients whose pain and disability are concordant with imaging findings and have failed nonoperative treatments.

determining your goals

The key to a successful operation is to understand what surgery can and cannot do for you. A thorough review of risks, benefits, and alternative treatments will be discussed. We aim to do the least invasive surgery possible to fix your particular problem.

15 years at the best institutions in America

Clinical Training

Dual Neurosurgical and orthopaedic Training

Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Vira was the only orthopaedic surgeon in the country in his graduating class to be selected for the Combined Neurosurgical and Orthopaedic Spine Surgery Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic (US News Ranked #2 Hospital).

This unique fellowship focuses on educating the future leaders in spine surgery and provides extensive training in the diagnosis and management of adult and pediatric spinal disorders.

Dr. Vira was trained on degenerative cervical, thoracic and lumbar disease, spinal deformity, intradural and extradural spinal tumors, spinal trauma, spinal infections, congenital spinal abnormalities, and complex reconstruction/revision cervical and lumbar pathology. Additionally, he gained experience with a multitude of surgical techniques including image guidance, minimally invasive surgery, and microsurgery.

The Foundation of Orthopaedics in America

NYC Hospital for Joint Diseases & Bellevue Hospital

Bellevue Hospital (founded in 1736, the oldest hospital in America) started the profession of orthopaedic surgery. In 1853, Dr. Lewis Sayer became the first professor of orthopaedic surgery and started what is now the oldest and most rigorous training program for orthopaedics in the United States. Today, the New York University Langone Medical Center and Bellevue Hospitals have combined resources to offer the best of elective and traumatic orthopaedic specialty care in NYC through the prestigious Hospital for Joint Diseases residency program.

Dr. Vira was one of two medical students in the nation to be selected into the highly competitive Clinician Scientist Training Program at the Hospital for Joint Diseases (top 5 Orthopaedic Hospital, US News & World Report). He developed skills in a wide range of surgeries on the entire musculoskeletal system including fracture care at Bellevue Hospital. His postdoctoral reserach fellowship year was on adult and pediatric spinal deformity surgery that led to numerous publications. He also acquired numerous innovative techniques to perform minimally invasive and motion preservation surgery from the best surgeons in New York City. For his compassionate care to the diverse NYC population, he was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honors Society.

As chief resident, Dr. Vira provided fracture care to the underserved at both Bellevue Hospital and Jamaica Hospital in Queens. There, he developed an interest in spinal traumatology and continues the legacy of Dr. Lewis Sayre in his current activities in providing spinal trauma care at Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Admitted to Medical School at Age 17

New York University Combined BA/MD Program

Dr. Vira grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland and graduated valedictorian of Rockville High School. He was admitted to medical school at age 17 and attended the combined BA/MD program at New York University. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in Biology and Economics with Honors and was president of the Economics Honors Society. He received his medical degree from New York University Medical School (ranked #3 by US News & World Report) where he received the orthopaedic surgery award.

Improving Policy

United States Congress

As a Congressional Intern for Representative Ed Royce, Dr. Vira served our nation’s legislature. He developed the concept of and wrote a draft of a bill on World bank reform. He also wrote several speeches that were delivered on the floor of the United States House of Representatives and recorded in the US Congressional Record.

Advancing Healthcare delivery

Harvard Medical School / harvard Business School

Dr. Vira served on the global health delivery project to improve healthcare delivery systems. He developed care delivery value chains and conducted research on applying business methodologies to improve the cycle of health care in developing countries. He was awarded a Catherine Reynolds Scholarship in Social Entrepreneurship for these efforts.